Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

D. THOMPSON.

THILL OOUPLING.

No. 339,713. Patented Apr. 13, 1886.

Til

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID THOMPSON, OF BYRON, KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.339,713, dated April 13, 1 886.

Application filed October 30, 1885. Serial No. 181,426.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing in the township of Byron, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Oouplings for Vehicles, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to a thill-coupling in which the bearings of the thillirons rest in open slots so constructed that the carriage thills or shafts may readily be attached and detached, the objects being securely to hold the shaft in coupling position by means of the slotted opening and a spring of suitable form, and also to prevent rattling. These objects I accomplish by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a buggy-clip to which my invention is applied,sho\ving the thill held in coupling position'by means of the spring. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the thill-iron, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the Spring which holds the thill in coupling position.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, K represents the clip surrounding the front axle-tree of the vehicle, N N adjusting-nuts on thelower end of the clip, and O 0 cars projecting from the clip and each provided with an open slot for the reception of the thill-iron journals F F. This thill-iron is in the form ofa letter T. The portion be tween thejournals FF isshown enlarged; but such construction is in no wise necessary to the operation of my invention.

A represents the metallic spring, whichI attach to the under side of the axle-tree, as shown in Fig. 1, and which is passed around over and down in front of the axle-tree, so as to rest upon thejournalsFF of the thill-iron, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The spring I divide in front, so as to leave the ears D D, which are concaved, to fit the shape of the journals, each ear D being wide enough to cover the journal, and thus prevent mud or other substances from dropping upon thebearing. 1 also provide a lip or projection, E, as

(No model.)

a convenient means of lifting the spring so as to allow of the ready removal of the thill-iron from the slots in ears 0 O. This lip E may, however, be dispensed with.

S S are two slots in the spring A. adapted to receive the bolts H H when the spring is in position on the axle-tree. As the ears D D are concave and fit upon journals F F, the movement of the spring A either backward or forward upon the bolts H H will increase the pressure upon the journals. In this manner I am able to adjust the pressure of the spring upon thejournals of the thill-iron by loosening the nuts N N and moving the springto the desired'position and then tightening the nuti. The spring should be strong enough to hold the thill-iron journals securely in the slots by its pressure, but elastic enough to be raised readily by the hand for the removal of the journals from the slots in ears 0 G.

I am aware that open slots for the reception of the thill-irons have been used prior to my invention, and I do not claim the same; but,

Having thus described my invention,what I claim to have invented, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. In a thill-coupling device, the spring A, provided with the ears D D, having concave under surfaces, in combination with the clip K. bolts H H, ears C O, and thill-iron jour nals F F, said spring adapted to hold the thillirons in coupling position and keep them from rattling, and also to allow the ready removal and attachment of the thills to the vehicle, substantially as described.

2. Ina thill coupling device, the holdingspring A, provided with the slots S S and lips D D, in combination with the clip K, having ears 0 C, the thill-iron B, provided with the journals F F, and the bolts H H, provided with the nuts N N, said spring adapted to be adjusted longitudinally upon the bolts H H for the purpose of increasing the pressure of the spring upon thejournals, substantially as described.

DAVID THOMPSON.

In presence of- \V. H. WALKER, ARTHUR O. DENISON. 

